This invention relates to a paint ball gun and more particularly to a paint ball gun, with a propelling bolt having a shaped end for improving the air flow in order to more efficiently discharge the ball from the paint ball gun.
In the close relation between sport and conflict, it is desired to provide excitement in the sport and permit training for a conflict without substantial danger. The conflict sometimes involves shooting a projectile at one another. Sport can sometimes also involve physical contact.
Sport and training can be obtained in a conflict situation by providing shooting devices, which do not inflict fatal wounds, and, in fact, provide minimal risk of injury. A standard way of accomplishing this training without endangering the participants is the use of body armor and a weapon, which can fire a paint ball.
A paint ball is a breakable or frangible, hollow ball containing a paint or other colorant. When the paint ball strikes an object or a person, the ball can splatter leaving paint or other mark on the person or the object, thereby indicating a hit or a successful shot. This successful shot occurs without causing injury to the person, especially in view of the protective clothing and face guard, which a person must wear during such action for safety reasons.
The standard paint ball gun has a bolt action that fires the paint balls with air or other gas. The air flow is the critical feature of the paint ball firing in the proper fashion. An adjustment to the air flow can improve the paint ball flight. It is highly desired to provide a more efficient air flow in the gun, in order to permit the paint ball to have a more accurate flight.
In a pneumatic gun, such as those suitable for discharging paint balls, it is difficult to achieve the desired seal within the gun, so that the flow of air to properly direct the paint balls to the desired target. Paint ball guns are described in the many United States patents, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,188 to Robert A. Williams.
Typically, a gun designed to shoot the paint balls has a chamber with a front and rear end. A gun barrel is supported by the body of the gun. The gun barrel is open on one end, and on the other has a closed chamber, such that a continuous bore is formed. Near the closed chamber, the ball is inserted in the bore, and a flow of air caused by pulling of a trigger permits the ball to be fired.
The flow of air and the force applied to the ball is critical to the effectiveness to the paint ball gun. The proper direction of the flow of air and the position of the ball in the chamber combined with the flow of air is the desired aspect of this matter. The flow of air to the paint ball passes through a bolt to the ball.
Use of the paint ball gun permits drilling for military or police personnel. These military or police force now can be faced with life threatening situations. In order to train to react quickly to prevent a hostile opponent actions, which may cause injury to the soldier or officers, target practice is required. The standard target practice neither tests nor improves the reaction time of a shooter. Nor does the target practice provide an urgency required in most hostile situations. There is no hostile opponent, and the standard target does not fire or shoot back.
There are electronic devices for measuring the reaction time of the shooter. However, due to the lack of return fire from an opponent, again the urgency is not present. It is desired to provide an apparatus suitable for use in interactive target practice. This permits the reaction time of the shooter to be tested without severe danger.
A suitable gun used for this purpose of testing reaction time is the paint ball gun. In the paint ball gun, a paint ball is discharged toward the target. Upon striking the target the paint ball ruptures and a hit or miss is indicated on the target.
The bolt for a paint gun is basically a cylindrical affair. Adjacent to end of the cylinder is paint ball chamber. As the paint ball is received in the chamber, air through the bolt forces the ball out of the barrel. The other end of the cylinder is adjacent to the pneumatic air supply. The pneumatic air supply forces air through the bolt and against the paint ball, in order to discharge or fire the same.
Since the target may be a person who also has a paint ball gun, the reaction time and the counter measures used by both the officer and the target can also be tested. With this test of reaction time comes a more accurate measure of combat danger, without the inherent danger of actual combat. It is desired to improve the accuracy in the paint ball gun and be as close to a standard weapon as possible.
One of the key factors in the functioning of a paint ball gun is the flow of air in the gun. If the flow of air can be adjusted appropriately, and the function of the gun be improved; the paint ball can be fired with more accuracy, and greater training advantages can be obtained with the use of a paint ball gun.
It is especially desirable to improve the paint ball gun and its accuracy, with a minimized effort. A complete redesign of the paint ball gun to achieve the accuracy is complicated and expensive. If such an improvement can be accomplished more simply, great advantages are obtained.